The U.S. and Global Security Review - Blog by Michael Novakhov

Putin tells Obama that latest sanctions against Russia are counterproductive | World news Saturday August 2 nd , 2014  at  9:37 AM World News | The Guardian 1 Share President Barack Obama voiced deep concerns in a telephone conversation with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Friday about increased support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, the White House said. Days after Washington introduced  the most robust sanctions yet  against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis, Putin told Obama that the measures were “counterproductive”. “The Russian leader described Washington’s course of ramping up sanctions pressure as counterproductive, causing serious damage to bilateral relations and international stability in general,” the Kremlin statement said. The United States on Friday pledged about $8m (£4.75m) in new aid to bolster Ukraine’s border guard service as the country struggles to counter pro-Russian separatist groups. The U...